The Third Time is the Charm
by Ladybug-Jojo
Summary: Three years in the future Booth is thinking back to things that made three his lucky number, as he holds his newborn baby-girl. Be aware that it has spoilers for a couple of upcoming episodes, especially 6x12 & 6x13.


**Okay this I a very quick little one-shot. I'm sorry I have not updated Hannah's talk with Fisher lately, but I had an exam as well as some personal sad things happening, so I have honestly had a hard time writing humor and fun.**** Now I can do that again but I had to write this story and get it out of my head first. I'm sorry about that, I promise I will soon update that one, I have written some of the next chapter as well as made the head-lines of that will be dealt with. I'm starting classes again on Tuesday, but I promise I will update that one and continue writing even with classes. **

**This little one-shot started to develop after having seen BitB as well as the promo for 6x12.**

**It has spoilers for future season 6 episodes.**

**I don't own Bones if I did HB would never have been invented and B&B would be happily together and making beautiful babies. **

**The Third Time is The Charm**

Seeley Booth was sitting in a hospital room and looking down on the beautiful little baby girl his wife had just blessed him with the morning before. She was the most precious little thing he had ever held in his arms. Right now this little miracle was sleeping peacefully in his arms, just like his wife was sleeping peacefully in the bed next to where he was sitting.

As he looked down on his daughter, he realized that once again his luck evolved around the number three, which had been his lucky number for quite some time now. This time because of two things the first one was the number of times it had taken them since they had started to try to get pregnant until the test had the little cross instead of just one single line.  
The first two times, when it came back negative, it had broken his heart to see his wife as sad as she had been when she realized that she was once again not pregnant. The second time it happened, he had even told her that perhaps third time would be the charm, as it had been with anything else important in his life.  
She had told him that was ludicrous and ridiculous, and that she would probably never become pregnant without special treatments. Since she was still young and very fit as well as healthy and due to these things, she should have no problem with becoming pregnant, and since that had not happened there was probably something wrong with her so she should probably starting seeing her doctor to find the right hormonal treatments.  
He had talked her down and made her agree to try one more month the natural way without doctor involvement and if that did not work, he would personal go with her to the doctor for all the appointments she would need, they were in it together no matter what. The third time had worked, and he had never seen her as happy as she had been when the pregnancy test came back positive.  
He had made a joke about the third time wonder, and she had let it slid since she was so happy.

The second thing this little wonder, in his arms, made fit into his third time deal was that she was now a part of the three persons he loved more than anything in the world, the list which had the name of his wife his son Parker as well as his newborn daughter now.

Yes, Booth had a thing for the number three, however to really understand that you had to learn a few more things about him and his past history, and you would see why Seeley Booth's absolute favorite number was three.

The first thing was that the third time Booth tried to stop gambling it worked because that time he had found real motivation, instead of doing it because he was told to or because of the economic costs it gave him, he had met a person who made him wish to be a better man so that he would one day be worthy of her affection. _Booth looked over at his sleeping wife, well that day had come._

The second thing was that three years ago there had been a sniper in D.C. but not just any sniper. The guy was a man from Booth's past a man who used to be a very close friend of his. The third time he tried to catch Jake it had worked, he had no longer been in doubts of what he had to do, he had been sure, he had made a choice. That did not mean that Booth did not visit Jake's grave from time to time, and there were now three reasons to continue visiting that grave. The first was that Jake had been a friend once, a good friend, a guy who had just taken the wrong way at some point in life. The second was that if Jake had not said the comment about doubt as well as made the whole deal a bit too personal, Booth would never had started to realize once again who he really loved, and now three years later, due to that realization he now held his daughter, the indirect third reason to be grateful toward Jake. So Booth would continue to visit the grave from time to time, after all in the end Jake was the main reason he now had a daughter as well as a son and the "right" wife.

The third thing which made the number three have a special meaning to Booth was that the third time he kissed Bones (not including the kiss which Caroline had blackmailed them into), the third time one of them decided to kiss was a real kiss, a kiss which did not end in her leaving him alone in the rain or her pushing him away and telling him no. Instead this real kiss ended in a sweet declaration of love.

This kiss leaded to the fourth reason he held the number three so high, because that reason was that the third time one of the two of them (him and his Bones) tried to break the stalemate which had been built over the years between them, by declaring the desire to take their partnership to another level, there was not one of them saying no and leaving the other in tears of heartbreak instead this declaration, let to that wonderful third real self-chosen third kiss.

The fifth really huge thing which made him love number three was that the third time he proposed to a woman the answer was a positive one, and not a no as he had gotten the two times before. The first time he had gotten a no was when he proposed to Rebecca, after they learned that she was expecting Parker. The proposal had been pretty much standard. He had called Rebecca's best friend and she had gone with him to pick out a ring, with a pretty diamond in. For the proposal he had taken her out to a restaurant, and proposed over dinner, saying he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her and their baby. However she had said no and told him he was only doing it because it was the right thing, and he really did not want to get married to her.

The second time he proposed had been to Hannah (_he felt shivers down his back when thinking about that one)_. This time he had gone with Sweets (_who the h**l goes ring shopping with a 12 year old)_. Sweets wanted to propose to Daisy again, and during their talk Booth had decided to propose to Hannah, to make sure there was no doubt for anyone that he loved Hannah not Bones. After all he was starting to have a bit of doubts after the meeting with Jake, so he needed to make sure that no one not even himself doubt his love for Hannah.  
He had brought one of the largest most expensive rings in the store after all; the clerk had told them that a huge ring showed you wanted to get married more.

For the actually proposal he had made Hannah meet him at a bridge in the park. He had thought it would be romantic. He had decided to ask her while at the bridge and take her out to celebrate afterwards; he had never thought that she would not say yes, how wrong he had been once again.

When she met him on the bridge, he had proposed to her, saying that she was someone he could grow old with and built a family with, that he wanted her as his wife and mother of future kids, and that he wanted some day to sit with her watching their grandkids play in the garden. Hannah had looked shocked to say the least, when she had looked angry and asked him if he did not know her at all, because if he did know her he would know that she did not want children of her own, and neither did she want to get married, how had he ever thought she wanted that?  
In reality she had come to talk with him about the fact that she had been offered an assignment overseas, which she had said yes to, and would very much like him to come with her. He had been just as shocked as she had been over his proposal over her proposal. However he had told her, he could not do that, he could not leave D.C. and his son. She had nodded but said that she still wanted the assignment and that it might be good for both of them with some time apart since it seemed they both needed to think about a few thing, since they obvious did not know each other as well as she had thought they did.  
He agreed with out many words, because his heart was broken once again. She went on to ask him if he would wait for her until she came back, so they could go on from how it had been until now. That moment she asked that he had a realization, one he had already began having when he had his confrontation with Jake, however he ignored it until that moment. Why should he wait for Hannah who did not want the same things as him and he had known for under a year and who had just said no to his proposal, when he had not been able to wait for his partner who he had known for six years, when he asked her for more and she said no because she could not change.  
Hannah obvious did not hold a desire to change either, and it seemed that she really had not changed that much since she came, since she still did not want a real Booth family even after having lived with him for months.  
However his partner, who had said that she could not change, had changed so much over the years and a few years ago she offered him what he wanted more than anything, another child and baby sister or brother for Parker.  
However Hannah did not want children in addition to not wanting marriage, and here she was, asking him to wait. He told her that he could not do that, and perhaps she was right a marriage or long time deal between them would be wrong since he really wanted another child.

He told her he could not wait and that perhaps age was a factor, since he was almost 40 and she was still 29. She wanted her career, he wanted someone he knew would be there at the end of the day and in the morning, and would understand his devotion to Parker was well as understand his past and devotion to his work. She told him she did understand whose things; however he told her that she did not really know anything about his past so how could she understand.  
He had seen how hurt she was over that statement; however he was also hurt over her no, as well as her desire to travel again. That was the moment he realized that while Hannah had agreed without asking or talking to him about she wanted to go on a longer oversea assignment, his partner had said that she would never agree to go to _Makupopo island_ without talking to him first. That she had stayed when she first came back for the sake of the team and what they did. He realized that she would never leave him without asking his opinion before, and there was a huge possibility that she would never leave him again, after all she had still stayed by his side when he came back with Hannah in tow, she had befriended Hannah because of him, and she had kept on being friends with Hannah even after she had told him about how she had feelings for him, but even more she had kept on being his partner after she had realized how deep those feelings were. She had been there for him during the first days when Jake had shot the gravedigger and when they had learned that it was his old friend. She had kept on being his friend and his rock even when he had pushed her away for months, and when he had broken his own rule of "what goes on between us are ours", by telling not only Hannah about her feelings for him, but also Sweets. She had still stayed his friend and partner and never told him off for telling them those things.

How could he ever even think about waiting for Hannah when he had a partner and best-friend, whom was his real rock and knew and understood all of him, and he had not been willing to do more that offer her a gamble, with the possibility that it might not work out.

He told Hannah that he did love her but when all came down to reality she was right she should travel all over the world because that was who she was, but he was a complicated man when it came down to it, he had a huge past she knew nothing off and probably would not like very much if she did, but even with that past he was a devoted father who needed to stay close to his son. He told Hannah that he was grateful for the time they had had together and that she came to be with him, but it was for the best that their ways parted now. They talked a bit more about why and such things but in the end even Hannah agreed that it was for the best that he did not wait, since she was not whom he really wanted.

The third time he proposed was not really planned, mind you he had brought a ring and he had been planning on proposing, even though he knew that there was a huge chance _his Bones_ would say no. He still wanted to ask her, and knew that even though she said no, he would make sure that she knew that it was not an ultimatum that they would still be together, however he wanted to make her see that it would make him incredible happy if she agreed to be his wife.

He had thought all about how to do it, how to make it perfect for her and in the end he had decided to take he to a wolves-park, where he would tell her about how wolves had partnerships and families which described a nuclear family, he knew she would appreciate those facts, he had gotten them from Parker's huge animal book. He would tell her that he wanted her to settle into such a family with him as his alfa female (again something she would appreciate him saying). He would tell her that he knew that wolves were in monogamous relationships, and that a pack normally held alfa male and female and their children and that was what he wanted with her (_Thank you God for Parker's animal book)_. In the end he would ask he to marry him as a celebration of agreement to start such a pack with him _(yeah, no doubt that speech was different from the other proposals he had made)_. He had gone out by himself to find the ring, no 12 year old shrink or best friend this time. The ring he had brought was perfect for Bones, it was simple and beautiful, and it was also a size and design which would make it possible for her to wear it under her latex gloves.

In the end he did not end up proposing that way he had planned, in the end it happened a morning when she was standing in front of the mirror putting her earrings in, and he was standing behind her watching her do it. Suddenly he had told her how beautiful she was, and she had smiled, however when he had seen the smile he had suddenly let slip, the words "_Marry me!"_ She had looked surprised when he saw her face in the mirror and he was shocked how could he have been such a fool, he was sure, that hell would break loose at that moment and the answer would be a defined no, however she turned around and smiled at him and when walked up and kissed him on the lips, it was a quick peak on the lips like a habit, which they would do every day for the rest of their lives.  
After the kiss she smiled at him and when told him softly that she could not imaging there was anything she would not do for him, and that included getting married, so if he was really asking and meaning it, and it was not a slip of tongue (_Bones had become quite good at those kinds of expressions over the years)_, her answer was yes. Booth had been shocked but when pulled her into a tight embrace and told her he meant it and that he had never meant anything more in his life. He had gone in to their bed room, and pulled out the ring from the bottom of his drawer, gone out in the leaving room to her again, kneeled down on one knee and asked her to marry him, and she had said yes without any doubt.  
Weeks after their engagement they had gone up to the wolves park, and he had told her all the things he had learned and she had smiled and laughed at him, but she had appreciated his knowledge, however when they walked around in the park, and he held her hand it already was adored by the engagement ring, which was a perfect fit for her.

Yes, that time three really had been on his side, and he had been sure that it was his lucky number ever since, because never before had he wanted anyone to say yes more that he had wanted her to say yes, and never before had he been sure that there was a huge possibility of a no, however God had been with him that day. 

Booth smiled while he was thinking about these things and looking down on his sleeping daughter. However he was pulled from his thoughts she he heard his wife speaking, and asking him long she had been asleep. He looked over at her and told her she had been out for a few hours.  
He asked her how she felt and if she wanted anything, to which she shook her head and just smiled at him.  
The smile on her face reminded him of the one he had seen through the window of the diner three years ago while she held a huge fake seashell to her ear, a seashell which was now placed in their bathroom with their toothbrushes in. It was a smile so contended and so happy. He asked if she wanted to hold their daughter, but she shook her head again and told him it was alright if he kept on holding her, as she was sure their baby-girl would soon wake up and need feeding which he would not be able to handle, which meant she would get her turn at holding their daughter. He lent over the bed and gave her a sweet kiss on the lips, still holding their sleeping baby-girl.  
When he sat down again she told him that before she slept, when he had gone to the bathroom and out to call Rebecca and Parker, that Hannah had stopped by. For some strange reason Brennan and Hannah had kept in touch, and kept on being friends, they were even close enough that Hannah had been present at his wedding in the end, she even was in the bridal party. It was pretty ironic when he thought about it that both of the two women who had turned him down when he proposed had been at his wedding in the end, and both of them supporting that wedding.  
Hannah was back in D.C. for the moment, with her fiancé, nope it was not a joke his ex-was getting married and even better he was going to the wedding, since his wife was supposed to be the matron of honor, that was what happened when she (and he did as well) knew both of the bride and the groom.  
Brennan told him that Hannah had given her the flowers on the table which had purple daisies in between them. Booth asked why she did not stay longer, he had actually come to have a quite peaceful relationship with his ex.  
Brennan told him that Hannah had had date with Michael so she had to leave but she had promised her as well as Michael would be back tomorrow. At that comment she could see Booth getting tense, to which she told him that if she could forgive him and get over the hurt Michael had cost her, he certainly could as well.  
That was something she had told him a lot since they learned that Hannah was dating no other than Michael Stiers, Brennan's old mentor/boyfriend who hurt her really bad while in court. It had been very tense in the beginning, however Brennan soon became more comfortable around Michael, after all she was happily married to someone she loved. They had actually developed some kind of friendship, Michael had grown up over the time had no longer needed to be the best as well as his ego was now not as huge any more.  
Hannah had helped him a lot with that, since she was also very career minded, and Hannah had learned Michael that you could not always win, that was something she had learned over the last couple of years, and she had helped Michael learn the same.  
It had not been as easily with Booth. Him and Michael still had a hard time being even civil towards each other, however they had to stand each other, since Brennan and Hannah met up whenever possible when Hannah was in D.C. a few months back Michael and Hannah had decided to get married and Brennan had asked to be the matron of honor, since she was Hannah's closest girlfriend. Brennan had agreed, so Booth was going to the wedding of his own ex as well as the wedding for his wife's ex, just to talk about strange.

Booth changed that subject from Michael/Hannah to who else would be coming tomorrow. After that they both fell into a confortable silence while watching their daughter.

After a moment Brennan smiled at him and told him that she had been thinking about names. This surprised him as they had already decided on a name if they got a boy and a name if they got a girl months ago. He had already started to call his baby girl by that name. Emily Christine Brennan-Booth was supposed to be his daughter's name. He asked her a bit worried what she had been thinking about calling her when, what _his Bones_ told him he had not been expecting. She told him she only wanted her daughter to have the name Booth as her last name. He was surprised and happy, but he really wanted to know what had made her decide that. She told him that Brennan-Booth might be her name now however the reason for her keeping Brennan was most about her career and that she was known under that name, however it did not really feel right to give the name to her daughter after all, Brennan was not her own real name, and they only ones in her family who actually held the name was herself and her brother not even her brother's wife and children had that name, and her father did not use it either he used Keenan. Brennan was not really a happy family name however Booth symbolized that family he had given her. When she said those things he smiled and realized once again as he had three years ago (three really was a great number, his lucky number) that in life you can love many people and he had a top three over persons he loved more than anything, however there was still one person he loved the most, one person who was the one, his soul mate, his partner, his wife, the mother of his daughter, his best-friend, _His Bones. _

_That story ended up a lot longer than I thought it would. I'm sorry for every mistake I have made, but English is not my first language. I promise as I stated in the AN in the beginning I will update Hannah's talk with Fisher soon. _


End file.
